“I can see the Vikings saying, ‘We did get a very good deal from the state, so we’d like to be part of the solution’,” Carlson said, speaking to Tom Weber on The Daily Circuit. “I think we should certainly ask them if they would do it. … Just as the public contributed to the Vikings, I think the Vikings can be part of this solution.”

Carlson, who was governor of Minnesota in 1991-1999, faulted current civic leaders for failing to give the year-long lockout the attention it deserves.